Anvil on the comeback trail

Tuesday

Apr 1, 2014 at 11:27 AM

In the early 1980s, there was a moment when it seemed like Anvil was about to ascend to the level of heavy-metal gods. After forming in Toronto in the early '70s, the quartet – led by singer-guitarist Steve "Lips" Kudlow and drummer Robb Reiner – spent a decade paying its dues before achieving the first glimmers of commercial success with its albums "Metal on Metal" (1982) and "Forged in Fire" (1983).

By VINCENT HARRISFor 85-26.com

In the early 1980s, there was a moment when it seemed like Anvil was about to ascend to the level of heavy-metal gods.

After forming in Toronto in the early '70s, the quartet – led by singer-guitarist Steve "Lips" Kudlow and drummer Robb Reiner – spent a decade paying its dues before achieving the first glimmers of commercial success with its albums "Metal on Metal" (1982) and "Forged in Fire" (1983).

Kudlow's searing vocals were a more brutal edition of the Bruce Dickinson/Rob Halford style, his stunning riffs and wailing solos were an air-guitarist's dream, and Anvil's powerful live shows helped the band gain metal-head fans like Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead and Slash of Guns N Roses.

But after signing with Metal Blade Records and hitting the Billboard charts with 1987's "Strength of Steel," the band slowly faded into obscurity. Anvil released eight albums over the next decade-and-a-half to decreasing interest, and the early 2000s found Kudlow working a day job with a company that catered food to elementary schools. And though he and Reiner never stopped playing shows, it seemed as if Anvil would end up as a heavy-metal footnote.

Until 2008's acclaimed documentary, "Anvil: The Story of Anvil," that is. The film, which displayed the small victories and Spinal-Tap-style luck of two men who still believed in their rock n' roll dream, drew the attention of die-hard metal fans and critics alike, breathing new life into Anvil and enabling the band to open for AC/DC and Saxon, play numerous festivals and steadily tour on their own, while releasing new material, to boot.

Kudlow recently spoke with the Herald-Journal about Anvil, which will perform Friday at Ground Zero in Spartanburg.

Question: What is it about heavy metal music that originally appealed to you?Answer: Well, when I was a kid, there wasn't any heavy metal music. That kind of music didn't exist until I was in my 20s. It was always about guitar playing for me. When my Dad brought me home a guitar in 1966, what was on the radio? What was I listening to? The Rolling Stones and The Beatles, which brought me to (Jimi) Hendrix, which led into Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath (and) Deep Purple in the '70s. Heavy metal didn't exist until 1981 or '82.

Q: Do you think Anvil has been able to sustain the momentum you've gained since the documentary?A: I don't really look at it in those terms. I've been a songwriter and a professional musician for almost 40 years now. And it's just another day at the office, the way I look at it. Sometimes it's a good day, sometimes it's not. Has the movie made a difference? Absolutely. No question about that. Has it made a difference in our record sales or how much people have heard our music? No.

What would make a huge difference in terms of record sales is if we became a pop act like Britney Spears (laughs), and that's just not going to happen. I have no expectations of pop stardom. That's just not going to happen. What has happened is that we've cemented our ability to go work in clubs and small concert halls, and I'll never have to go back to Choice Children's Catering to do deliveries. And if you ask me, it's all good (laughs).

Q: Have you started thinking about a follow-up to 2013's "Hope in Hell" album yet?A: We've actually got another album written, but we're probably not going to record it for at least another year. Let's put it this way: When you've already got 15 albums out on the market, there's no hurry (laughs). Especially when no one's ever heard twelve of them (laughs).

Q: What do you think kept you and Robb from giving up during the roughest times?A: I think it's hope. Listen, the bottom line is that you quit what you hate and you continue what you love. It's really simple. There's no logic; you do it because you love it. We made this choice at a really young age. We know that we're lifers; there's no parole. The only way out is in a box (laughs).

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